72 Visit to Dewangari, [Jan. 



bination of features, but many of them have fine plump rosy cheeks, 

 healthy and pleasant to look upon, though the complexions, a light olive, 

 have nothing in common with lillies. Their figures are concealed by the 

 amplitude of their robes. They appear to take less care in adorning 

 themselves than any Hill lasses I have met with. Their clothes are 

 dirty, clumsily made, and awkwardly put on. Their tresses are generally 

 left to float as nature pleases, though some few of the more tidy and 

 respectable matrons had their' s bound with a handsome bandeau of 

 flat silver chains with a large ornament in front. Some damsels appear 

 with shorn heads, and these I understand have all taken vows of cele- 

 bacy. They are mostly widows, whose pretensions to virginity could 

 not under any circumstances be supported, but some old women amongst 

 them, with shorn heads, asserted their claim to the title. 



I saw little cultivation, and excepting a few women weaving, no one 

 appeared employed in any useful occupation. In weaving the women 

 are seated on the ground. The web passes round three rollers of wood 

 forming a triangle. One of these, attached by a leather belt to the 

 woman, one supported on two posts in front of her, and the third pin- 

 ned to the ground farther off. The woman by her position keeps the 

 web stretched to the necessary tightness. The shuttle is a small hollow 

 bamboo containing a roller for the thread. This she passes through the 

 inclined web before her working upwards, and passing the woven part 

 round below, until the whole piece completed thus comes round. The 

 fine woollen cloths which the Bootias export are not made here, be- 

 ing brought from the interior. They are of very superior manufacture, 

 resembling in pattern, material and softness of texture the Scotch tar- 

 tans. The affection of all Hill tribes for plaids is singular ; we have 

 them all round the valley. 



The cloths manufactured at Dewangari are of cotton or of erie. The 

 latter brought from the plains. 



The greater portion of the population of Dewangari consists of the 

 Rajah's followers, or of traders, who make this their temporary resi- 

 dence for more convenient barter with the plains ; the rajah himself 

 is not above making money in this way;* whilst he keeps back other 



* Every officer of the Bootan government is allowed a certain sum of money 

 from the public treasury to trade upon, and which at stated periods he returns with 

 interest. 



